Through the Connect to Sailing programme, ISAF have developed an initiative to enhance the ISAF Learn to Sail Training Programme to include a system of clearly identifying boats and equipment for use by developing Member National Authorities (MNAs).

The ISAF Learn to Sail Training scheme covers many aspects of setting up training centres and the responsibilities of all involved and within this programme there exists the need to identify suitable equipment appropriate for training at each type of club/centre.

The boats and equipment selected have proved to have suitable availability to MNA's and also offer a sales and supply structure to reduce fleet costs to the MNA's and their National Training Programme centres. The manufacturer pays a fee to have their boat/s included in the Learn to Sail Recommended Boat scheme.

These boats have been independently assessed by ISAF to be ideal for developing and/or teaching beginner sailing within the guidelines laid out in the ISAF Learn to Sail Training programme; they also undergo safety assessments such as European CE marking or coastguard assessment.

The effective equipment categorization such as entry, intermediate and advanced level helps MNA's to understand the equipment and sign post a pathway from grass roots participation to Olympic level.

Sales Director of Topper International Rick Reading said of the partnership with the Turkish Sailing Federation, "We are very happy that the Topaz Omega has been adopted as the Entry level training boat for the Turkish sailing federation. This decision is another wonderful result of our partnership with the ISAF Connect to Sailing initiative and especially the ISAF Learn to Sail Recommended Boat project. This link with Turkey has been so successful that there is another shipment of boats due to be delivered later in May."

Turkish MNA National Sail Training Manager and ISAF Training Scholarship, Emrah Surmen was very excited with the arrival of the first shipment of Topaz Omega's, saying that, "The first 8 boats have been received very well and the next fleet will be distributed between another 4 clubs in Turkey.

"The Topper Topaz Omega boats give us the chance for not only the children to go sailing but more importantly it helps us take the parents out alongside the young people, helping them to see what they are learning and getting to trust the water and the boats."

Pictures of the boats as they arrived in Turkey can be found on our Facebook page here.

For more information on any of the Training and Development projects that Connect to Sailing is engaged in please contact the ISAF Training and Development Manager, Dan Jaspers here.

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